Christmas does indeed get the greater share of focus, and I have focused on it primarily due to my background, my grandfather was an Anglican Vicar and my primary school was Church of England, so I can't help but associate this period with the Christian church which is my own failing.

Beneath all of this frivolity, cynicism and forced humour there is a more serious note. Christmas is hard, and for many reasons for many people. And when the over excited, overgrown kids start ramming it down your throat on the 1st of November, those of us who don't 'feel' the magic have just that bit longer to feel crap about it.

People were being given a chance to make Shakespeare their own, and in the magnificent Globe theatre no less, who were not usually given this chance. And they were being given the chance to do so on their own terms, in ways that resonated with them

Only when we understand the mere symbolic function that ritual sacrifice has nowadays, will we be able to eradicate the need for it and perhaps further succeed in the attempts of a universal understanding and denouncement of animal cruelty that is not necessarily culturally relative.

In an age where economies are shrinking, the differences between these two services from the perspective of the driver are severe. Essentially, it comes down to diametrically opposed scenarios: in one the driver needs to pass time-consuming, rigorous and expensive tests, in the other, you have a dude with a mobile phone.

My sister was officially in labour. It was a little surreal since I just rolled over and continued to snooze, conscious of the pain she was about to endure and the chaotic hub of emotion about to let fly, but geographically and mentally I couldn't have felt further away. Winnipeg, CA - 3,630 miles away from Dublin city.

How many times do we see parents look over at their kids with heads down on devices and hear them say, with both relief and guilt, "what did we do before iPads?". The tablet obsession may have had its day though according to recent reports.

Here's a question. You're going to an interview, or perhaps having to address some very important people with your ideas and views; what colour do you wear? What colour of clothing will subconsciously command more respect for you? Well, it's probably going to be blue.

How do Japanese celebrate holidays? New Year is the biggest holiday of the year in Japan．Since 1873 Japanese have been celebrating New Year according to the Gregorian calendar on January 1 of each year, although some parts of Japan, such as Okinawa, still celebrate it according to the Chinese calendar.

Politicians do a disservice to the public to pretend otherwise. It is possible to celebrate difference while encouraging cohesion, but that is not by - out of fear or misplaced respect - ignoring the symbols that divide. It is possible to laud tolerance while criticizing those (flag-wavers?) who undermine it.

When it comes to cocktails the Cubans have been doing it right for years; The Mojito, The Daiquiri and The Cuba Libre each originated here, the hailed home of rum. Cuban bartenders were once hands-down the most celebrated in the world and their influence stretched far and wide. Feeling nostalgic? No need, Cuba's drinking culture lives on and it's just a cool as when it began.

The word "tradition" is so often misunderstood to mean the dragging heels of a conservative past, whereas modern traditions actually include our calendar customs such as Halloween and April Fools, our music and dance, our games and sports, almost all the foods we eat, the stories we tell, and so much more.

Obviously, security needs to be impossibly high, when food and the world's most powerful man are concerned. There are even rumours of the White House's Chef Andrew being Obama's official food taster at public dinners, although I didn't see evidence of this when cooking for him.

Our society is built around expectations. Expectations as to how we look, how we behave, the type of job we should have, the type of person we should marry, the trajectory our life should take. Often these aren't even conscience thoughts about a person, just things we naturally assume to be the case. But why?

In a nutshell, it seemed to me that the women wanted to live a traditional life but have unrestricted leeway enabling them to be independent whenever or wherever they decide, regardless of any prior situation, circumstances or statements to the contrary.

Change is a common process that happens throughout all our lives. It's necessary and important - it has to happen, regardless of what we think. Sometimes, we have no say on what changes and how it does that. It's easier to accept it and change with it.

As Christmas 2013 draws to a close, it must be said that I have plenty to be thankful for: my family are in fine health, I am generally happy, plus I got One Direction's calendar for the upcoming year. However, as the inevitable Christmas Day argument ensued, I began to ponder other annual occurrences that most families experience specifically during the festive season...

Even though our children and grandchildren are all over a thousand miles away, their special gifts went winging their way to them so they all could celebrate St. Nicholas Day in style...and I am happy to report that there was no need for us to buy any coal!